Tank-car.



A. E. OSTRANDER.

TANK GAR.

AP PLIGATION FILED Q0110, 1912.

1,097,930. I Patented Maj 26, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES N INVENTOQ Alllerzb'fflstrand r 4 3. IH f 91: ATTORNEY A. B. OSTRANDER. TANK GAB.

APPLICATION FILED OUT 10, 1912;

1,097,930, Patented Ma 26, 1914.

2 sums-slum 2.

Big. Z.

WITNESSEfi mvem'ore Va flllenfiflstrand'er ATTORN EY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

ALLEN L. OSTRANDER, O-IF RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN CAR AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TANK-CAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26, 1914..

Continuation in part of application Serial No. 600,016, filed December 30, 1910. This application filegi.

October 10, 1912. Serial No. 725,001.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLEN EDWARD Os-- the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of the invention,

though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that the various modifications thereof will occur to persons skilled in the art.

In said drawings: Figure 1 isa side elevational view of a tank car constructed in accordance withmy invention, parts of the underframe being broken away and illustrated diagrammatically. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail central longitudinal sectional view of one of the end portions of the underframe structure shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig.

2, the tank being removed.

The invention relates to means for anchoring independently constructed bodies of cars against longitudinal, or rather excessive longitudinal, movement relative to the sustain ing underframing thereof, at the same time so constructing and combining the respective parts of the undcrframc and the car body and the anchor for the car body as to permit said body to be readily removable from said under-framefor repairs or renewal.

The int ention is particularly applicable to tank cars, in which a cylindrical metal tank is mounted on an underframe comprising principal center sills adapted to resist buffing stresses incident to service conditions, YlllCll sills are spaced apart beyond the bolsters to receive between them standard types of draft rigging now approved by the Master Car Builders Association.

The invention also relates to railway cars in general, and more particularly to cars for carrying a load'movable elatively to the car underframing, and in some of its details has quantities of fluid, termed tank cars Among other objects of my present invention are the provision of an improved support for the ends of the body or tank, the provision of improved yieldingly resistant abutments for adequately holding the tank 1n place and at the same time compensating for the hammer like blows of the liquid in stopping the car, to the end that the tank may neither become loosened from the frammg, nor the framing itself disturbed by the blows of the tank; to provide means whereby the springs, frictional members, or other shock absorbing and yieldingly resistant members of the draft gear rigging may be utilized and further proportionately compensate for the movement of the tank; to provide an improved means for mounting the tank relatively to the framing to the end that it may be most readily removed therefrom, together with such other objects as may hereinafter appear.

The principal object sought to be attained is the simplification of the construction of such cars in so far as the anchoring against longitudinal movement is concerned.

In the drawings the invcrtion is illustrated as applied to a tank car to which class of cars it is particularly adapted. Heret'ofore it has been customary to add one or more elements to the structure of tank cars in order to prevent movement of the tank relative to the underframe; either headblocks have been fixed. to the underframe and disposed for engaging the opposite ends of the tank, or fixtures of various-kinds have been attached to the tank and underframe intermediate the ends of the tank, for accomplishing the same result. lVith the present invention, however, 'all necessity for these additional elements is eliminated.

In the common construction of tank cars the draft gear is supported between apair of draft sills and the forward and rear followers of said draft gear are fitted between and limited in their longitudinal movements by front and rear follower stop's. These follower stops have been commonly manufactured as independent members and have been riveted to the opposing faces of the draft sills. Heret-oforc they have had practically no other function than that of limiting the movement of the followers of the draft gear.

This invention provides that the rear fullower stops, that is, the follower stops nearest the bolsters, shall extend between the I j frame.

' ticallyfill the open space between the 'vent transverse movement or tippin draft sills and abut the rear follower of the draft gear.

tank stop castings which abut the rear followers of the draft gear and thus become an effectual means for limiting the longitudinal movement of the tank relative to the under- Such tank stop castings. connected to the tank are, therefore, not connected to the underframe in any way, but, when the tankis in position they project into their appropriate positions between the draft sills and between the bolsters and the adjacent rear followers. The members depending from the tank are of such section as to rapra t sills, and extend downwardly some distance below the top plane of such sills, as will be noted in Fig. :2, thereby providing an anchor at each end of the car well adapted to preof the tank on its underframe as well as imiting longitudinal movement of the tank. The two bolsters with the intermediate portions of the underframe form practically a single projectionor abutment between the two appendages from the tank. If no provision is made for the engagement with the bolster,

that is to say, if there be an open space between said tankstop castings and the adjacent side of the bolster, it will be apparent that the tank will be allowed a limited longitudinal movement and that, through the contact ofthe tank stop castings with the rear followers of the draft gears, the spring and friction devices comprising thedraft. gears will be utilized to cushion such movement and to prevent an excessive movement. Even when the space is intended to be eliminated and the follower stops are brought, as near as practicable to the bolsters, the springs of the draft gears will serve to cushion what slight-movement may be present, should any occur through imperfect workmanship in assembling the parts of the car.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to use in connection with tank cars, but is equally well adapted to use in connection with any and all classes of cars wherein the body portion thereof is independent of the underframe and subject to movement relative thereto.

' Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, the numeral 1 indicates the tank,22 the draft sills; 3 the bolster, 4 the draft gear as a whole; and it will be noted that'for the purpose of this disclosure there has been illustrated diagrammatically the well-known type of Cardwell draft gear wherein a draw bar 22 carrying a coupler head 23 has rigidly connected thereto a yoke 24., within which are mounted front and rear followers 25 and 26, disposed between which are the usual wedge blocks'operablymounted upon the transversely disposed spring rod 31 on which are carried springs 32 and 33 secured thereon by spring caps as indicated at 34. There is also disclosed particularly in Fig. 3 the front follower stops 5 attached to the draft sills in the conventional way, and the tank stop castings or rear follower stops 6 attached to the underside of'the tank and forming anchors therefor.

In adapting the rear follower stops to their new functions, as hereinbefore set forth, it has been found desirable to form 'them into single castings, each comprising a top plate as 9 shaped to fit the under side of the tank or other form of car body, so as to be securely and rigidly fastened thereto one near each end. Integral with and depending from these top plates are suitably ribbed and otherwise reinforced members which form the rear stops 6 constituting the tank anchors. Said stops are disposed in pairs, one of each pair adjacent the inner'face" of each of the draft sills 2, and their forward faces are adapted to be engaged by the rear follower of the draft gear in precisely the same manner as if they were fixed to the draft sills as heretofore, there beinga clear space left between the stops 6 for the draft yoke 24 to travel from its normal position toward the bolster.

When a car as ordinarily constructed is subjected to one of the great variety of minor collisions to which cars of all classes are subjected, incident to the coupling of cars together and to other apparent causes, the shock being received first by the coupler and draft gear and then by the underframe, produces a tendency for the underframe to travel longitudinally from beneath the car body or tank. This tendency in the design illustrated herewith is overcome by the engagement of the draft gear with the stops or anchors 6 at both ends of the car as'is clearly apparent from the illustration Fig. 1. The shock received by the draft gear at the near end of the car, is transferred directly to the adjacent portion of the tank, through the engagement with the adjacent stop 6, thus effectually absorbing or neutralizing the tensile stresses to which the tank might otherwise be subject. It will be noted that the central portions of the bolsters are formed with extensions 5 projecting toward the end sills, and terminating in stop faces 77, somewhat beyond the normal line of the bolsters proper and being riveted to the draft sills, as shown in Fig. 2. This extension is adaptcd to provide a large rivet area for the rivet connection and permit the use of suitable riveting tools, as shown, these extensions 3 are preferably made hollow. It will be apparent from this disclosure that the stops 6 are designed to have no engagement with the bolsters, and with this construction a shock received at one end of the underframe be transferred didinal relative movement of the tank. This" duty devolves entirely upon the draft gears at opposite ends of the underframe. \Vlien a car is one of a train, a shock received at one end will tend to push the tank toward the opposite end of the underframe. This tendency, however, will be resisted by the engaginent of the draft gear at the opposite end of the car with the next succeeding car. This latter engagement will cause the draft gear at that end of the car to be compressed so as to exert a spring pressure against the adjacent stops 6 sufficient to overcome the pressure at the first mentioned end of the car and maintain the tank practically in a fixed relative position.

What I claim is 1. In a railway car, the combination comprising an underframe, draft gears cotipcrating therewith, a removable car body and means for compensating relative longitudi nal shifting of said car body on said underframe, said means cotiperating with said draft gears.

2. In a car construction, in combination, a framing, a body supported by and movable relative to the framing, a draft gear rigging providgd with yieldingly resistantshock absorbing means, and means carried by the body and engaging said shock absorbing means.

3. In a car construction, in combination, a framing, a body supported by and movable relative to the framing, a draft gear rigging provided with yieldingly resistant shock absorbing means, and means carried by the body and engaging saidshock absorbing means, said engaging means being provided with a releasable engagement to said shock absorbing means. v

4-. In a car construction, the combination of a supporting sill, a car body longitudinally movable relative to said sills, a pair of depending stops spaced longitudinally on said car body and a pair of resilient ineans carried by said sills and each engaging one of said stops and adapted to cushion the movement of said body relative to said sills.

5. In a car construction, in combination, a framing, a body movable relatively to the framing and a draft gear including a yield ing resistance interposed between the body and the framing for restraining movement of said body relative to the framing.

G. In a car construction, in combination,

a framing, a body supported by the framing, a draft gear including a yielding resistance at each end of the framing interposed between the body and the framing, and engaging means between the body and the yielding. resistance, said yielding resistances and said engaging means being adapted for restraining the forward and rearward movement of said body.

7. In a car construction, in combination with a framing, a body supported by the framing, and a draft gear rigging comprising a yoke, front and rear folfowers carried by said yoke and a yielding resistant device interposed between said followers, and a member depending from said-body engaging one of said followers.

8. In a car construction, the combination of spaced center sills, a car body movable longitudinally of said center sills in service and a member carried near each end of said body and depending between said sills to prevent side tipping of said body relative to said sills.

9. In a car construction, a longitudinally movable car body, an underframe supporting said car body and draft gear carried by said underframe forming a cushioning means for said body.

10. In a car construction, the combination of an underframe, a center sill, bolsters and draft gears, a car body movable relatively to and carried above said center sill, said body having a portion thereof disposed between a draft gear and its adjacent bolster, the draft gear at each endtending to move the body toward its adjacent bolster.

11. In a car construction, sills, a body movable relative to said sills, a draft gear carried by said sills, front follower stops carried by said sills and a rear follower stop carried by said movable body.

12. In a'car construction, an underframe, a car body slidably mounted thereon, a pair of draft gears carried by the underfranie, one near each end thereof, a pair of stops secured to said body, each stop engaging the rear follower of each of said draft gears whereby a shock on one draft gear will be transmitted through the movable body to the other draft gear.

13.. The combination of an underframe, a car body slidably mounted thereon, a draft gear engaged by said car body whereby shocks on said car body will be transmitted to said underframe through said draft gear.

14. In a car construction, spaced sills, a readily removable car body having a partthereof near each end depending between and movable relative to said. sills in service and means carried by the sills and engaging said part adapted to maintain said car body in a normal position relative to said sills.

15. In a car construction, an urjfflerframe,

resiliently controlled draft gear elements carried at opposite ends thereof a slidably mounted car body disposed between and continuously engaging inner ends of each of said elements.

16. In a car, the combination of a tank and a supporting frame work, draft rigging springs carried by said frame and a connection between said tank and said draft rigging springs whereby said springs are utilized as a spring abutment for said tank, substantially as described.

17. In a car, the co mbination of a tank having downwardly projecting lugs at either end thereof, center sills, draft rigging springs carried by said center sills, said lugs abutting against the rear followers of said draft rigging, said draft rigging springs acting as endwise movement limiting abut ments for said tank, substantially 'as described.

18. In a car, the combination of a tank superposed on a frame, center sills forming a part of said frame, draft gears carried between said center sills, said cushion provid ing an endwise movement limiting abutment of said car, substantially as described.

19. In a car construction, in combination with a framing, a body supported by the framing, a draft gear rigging comprising a yoke, front and rear followers carried by said yoke, and a yieldingly resistant device interposed between said followers, of means carried by said body and engaging one of said followers whereby shocks sustained by said body are absorbed by said yicldingly resistant device. Y

20. In a car construction, in combination with a framin a body supported by the framing, a draft gear rigging interposed partly between longitudinal members of said framing, said draft gear comprising a yoke, front and rear followers carried by said yoke and a yieldingly resistant device operable between said followers, and means carried by saidbooly engaging one of said followers, whereby said body is permitted limited longitudinal movement and shocks sustained by said body are absorbed by said draft rigging.

21. In a tank car, spaced sills,a tank supported above saidsills, tank bands permitting limited longitudinal movement of said tank and tending to hold said tank to said sills, anchors depending from said tank adjacent the ends thereof, and draft riggings extending partly between the sills and having faces adaated to en a e the faces of the e, l b 2:

anchors.

22. In a car construction, in combination with a framin a body supported by the framing and adapted to be movable longi tudinally of said framing, a draft gear rigging comprising a yoke, front and rear followers carried by said yoke and ayieldingly resistant device interposed between said followers, of means carried by said body and engaging one of said followers, whereby shocks sustained by said body are absorbed by said yieldingly resistant device.

23. In a tank car construction, a metal underframe including bolsters, a tank secured thereon by tank bands and adapted to move longitudinally independently of said underframe in combination with a casting depending from near each end of the tank, and yielding tank anchoring; means held between parts of the underfr'd'ine and adapted. to rest in-normal contact with said castings.

24;. In av tank car construction, a metal under-frame including bolsters, a tank secured thereon by tank bands and adapted to move longitudinally independently of said underframe, in combination with a casting anchored to the tank and depending from near each of its end portions, and yielding anchoring means held between end parts of the underframe and adapted to contact with said casting.

25. In a railway car, an underframe, a

tank removably mounted thereon, a draft gear back stop depending from said'tank and means adapted to cushion the shifting of said tank on the underframe. 26. In a railway car, the combination comprising an underframe, a draft gear, a removable tank and tank anchoring means to permit relative longitudinal shifting of said tank on said underframe, said means serving as an abutment for the draft gear.

27. In a railway car, an underframe comprising body bolsters, adraft gear, a car body resting on said body bolstersand movable longitudinally of said underframe, and members connected to said body remote from its longitudinal center adapted to receive end thrust of said draft gear 28. In a railway car, an underframe comprising body bolsters, draft gears, a car body resting on said body bolsters and movable longitudinally of said underframe, and a plurality of stops depending from the car body and interposed between said draft gears and parts of the underframe.

:29. In a railway car, an underframe comprising body bolsters, spaced draft gears, a car body resting on said body bolsters and movable longitudinally on said underframe, and anchors on said car body depending between and cooperating with said draft gears to position said body on the underframe.

30. In a railway car, an .underframe comprising draft sills, body bolsters, draft gears extending between said sills, a,car body movable longitudinally of said sills, and spaced stops depending from said body between said bolsters and draft gears.

31. In a railway car, an underframe comprising body bolsters, a car bodv removably mounted on said bolsters and movable'longitudinally of said underframe, members depending from said body, and spaced draft gears comprising said members adapted to 5 position said body on said underframe.

32. In a railway car, the combination comprising spaced center sills; a car body freely removable therefrom,

between said sills, I0 ing from opposite draft gears held anchor members dependend portions of said car n body into contact with said draft gears and ALLEhI E. osrmnnnn.

Witnesses:

ARNOLD M. GHARA, FREDERICK H. Glens. 

